It is official....

I am now a farmer! Well, let me qualify that. It has been a very busy morning here. I got a message early this morning to please open the gate as Jose and his crew were coming with dirt. They also wanted to know where the dirt would go. I responded that the gate was open and sent a picture of the area I wanted them to work on.  Flowers haven’t been doing well there so I wanted more rich dirt and to have it planted for vegetables. They widened the area and weeded it and planted and put up markers. They also cleared an area with very rich soil and planted that too. And, they planted between the flowers along the front fence so cucumbers and squash would have something to grow  on.

I now have yellow and red tomatoes, lemon mint, lettuce, spinach, peas, sweet peppers, cucumbers, squash and cilantro planted. We have just had a heavy rain so either the seeds are getting a good soaking or they have all washed away. Adrian and Brandon were here too and the 2 broken window panes have been replaced. Adrian said he has flowers to plant along my gravel walkway and has trees to plant between me and the creek. Avocado, mora and trees with fruit for the birds. If my vegetable garden is a success, I would love to have the meadow tilled up and offer it as a kind of community garden. It is a great spot and isn’t being used for anything now.

So back to my story of the last month or so. Jose picked me up at 4:00am on 4/26 for the trip to the airport. I arrived in Chicago at 4:40pm and left on the bus for Madison at 7:00. It was almost 11:00pm by the time I got to Heather’s. Long day. No time or energy for checking out all the goodies. Right to bed. The first night I slept alone but after that Lila slept in my room every night. The other animals came and went but she was there every night.

I rented a car for a 10 day run to Minnesota and North Dakota and besides having a great time      visiting with family and friends, I had the added treat of having a Tica with me for a long weekend.  When I first came to Costa Rica I met a couple who live in St. Paul. He is a tico and she is a gringa. We kept in touch so I knew his daughter was in the US for 2 months studying English. I offered to meet them in St. Paul and if she and I got along I offered to take her with me for a weekend she wouldn’t normally have. She is a lovely young lady, 25, educated as an attorney. I told everyone her homework was to listen to and speak English. She did more listening than speaking because when we get together it is hard to get a word in. She did have a chance to visit Hutchinson, Little Falls and Ft. Ripley

My vegetable garden 

Getting along quite well 

For those who recognize this, it was my grandmother’s table and is now Kent’s desk.

The Plante cousins who got together.

Gerry, Dennis and I and Aunt Janice.

Dylana at the St. Mathias Bar and Grill.

area, including the St. Mathias Bar and Grill. I think she enjoyed herself and we took her back to St. Paul on Sunday when we went to the Plante side of the family. Gerry and Dennis worked to put together books of the family ancestry for both sides of the family and had them to hand out at these gatherings. When we get together there is lots of teasing so there was lots of laughing.

As I mentioned in another post, things have been very busy since I got back. I went to Ziomara’s on Sunday to take her all the things I brought. My eyes are bigger than my suitcases though. I brought 2 50 pound suitcases and still have 2 suitcases and 2 tubs full at Heather’s. This Thursday I take the crochet thread to the craft ladies. I also managed to bring a sewing machine for the senior center and a big pot for canning, full of jars filled with yarn. I really, really, really need to have a suitcase sale. They are over-running my house.

While I was gone Brandon came everyday and fed Dally but Dally was bad, bad, bad. Wild and  destructive. Two days after I got back I brought Domino home and you would not believe the difference in Dally. No more bad and wild, no more mean and biting me. He is smaller and younger but stands up to her. If she gets too rough he squeals like mad and she runs off. They spend most of their time together and always seem to know where the other one is. In July they will both be fixed so no kittens and hopefully it will keep them home.

So it is Sunday

It is raining, again. We have been getting lots, it is the rainy season after all, and the flowers are doing better. I lost a few while I was gone because it was dry at the beginning. Back to before I left. My last posting was my terrible day getting set up with an appointment at CAJA. It is a week later and I am back at the clinic - BY MYSELF. I knew I had to start with the appointment lady and she would take me to where I needed to wait for the doctor. I figured I could handle it and I was stocked with chocolate chip cookies. Jose did call me to say if I needed his help he would come, or if something came up I should just call him. I thanked him and said if I had a problem I would call.  

In the waiting area I saw Dora, Gerardo’s sister. She invited me to her house when I was finished. The appointment lady took me to wait for a pre-consultation. This lady spoke some English but we managed. My cookies talked. She took the vitals and then took me to wait for the doctor. It seems to be a social center. I encountered several people I knew and met a few from Rio Macho who recognized me. Then into the doctor. It took longer than normal because it is my first visit. She wrote up all my meds for the pharmacy - or at least the ones CAJA covers. She gave me a list of lab work to be done at the clinic in Paraiso and two referrals for the hospital in Cartago. One is for a cardiologist   and one for an optomologist for my cataract. They have a good program for seniors and have you come every 3 months to keep an eye on you.

Next stop is the pharmacy and they tell me to come back in 3 hours. They will be giving me 2 meds and 2 insulin’s. I have to go back to the pre-consultation lady for the needles to go with the insulin.

Now about one of my meds. It has been a challenge to find meds that work for my blood pressure. Dr. Mora, here, started me on one and I have been on Carvedilol for several years. My numbers are very good on these two. Up until last month I have been on Carvedilol from the US. It is a generic for Coregand the generic is not available here. The Coreg is 54,000 colones a month. About $100.00. In Hutchinson I saw the doctor and got a prescription for a year and had it filled in Madison and it was $61.00 for the entire year. The reason for the referral to the cardiologist is because if he says I need that med, CAJA will cover it. The doctor in Hutch did say there are new meds he could try me on but since I won’t be there for him to monitor he just stuck with what I am on.

Natalie and I went to the hospital on Friday to give out hats and then she went with me to get the appointments. For the cardiologist I have to check back in 22days to see what they say. For the optomologist my appointment is for July 2020. Now it gets interesting. During the next month they will call with a new appointment date. If you miss the call they give it to someone else. I gave them Jose and my numbers.

It started a little rough but they are getting along much better.

This one broke my heart.

Jeanette made me a gift. 

If I haven’t heard in 45days I am to go back and they will have me see a doctor. This time I had fudge for everyone including the security guards, staff and chemo patients.

So back to my doctor appointment day. Between the doctor and when I need to pick up my meds, I went to eat and then went to Dora’s house. I still had some cookies and I shared them and invited them all to my house the 24th, after I return from the US. So, this past week I took the cats to the vet on Monday, went to Cartago and WalMart on Tuesday, had Jeanette and Ligia here on Wednesday, had Gerardo’s sisters here on Thursday and went to Cartago to the hospital on Friday. You see why I don’t get anything written.

More another day.

I know, I know, I know

I am supposed to be telling you what is going on with my life. Well, it is a little crazy and busy. I am back in Costa Rica.

Meet Domino. Dally on the other hand isn’t so excited about having a little brother. 

8 weeks old.

Just because

I haven’t been writing doesn’t mean nothing is going on in my life. Tomorrow I return to Costa Rica and I will have time to sit and write and tell you all about my time before I left and my weeks here. It has been a good trip with lots of fun visits. AND, I will be happy to get back to my cabana and my old kitten and my new kitten.

Mother’s Day dinner  

Kent and Heather and Kent’s mother, Sherry.